Behr comes out on top in J.D. Power paint survey

June 4, 2008

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its second annual interior paint satisfaction study, showing that Home Depot’s Behr paint was the brand most preferred by consumers.

Behr ranked highest in customer satisfaction with interior paint, with an index score of 779 on a 1,000-point scale. Behr performed particularly well in price and design guides and instructions factors, according to the survey.

Porter Paints follows Behr in the rankings with a score of 772. Benjamin Moore Paints and Dunn-Edwards Paints follow Porter Paints in a tie with a ranking of 771 each. Benjamin Moore Paints performed particularly well in three of six factors: appearance and application features, application performance and durability performance.

“Behr stands out in a highly competitive market,” said Jim Howland, senior director of the real estate and construction practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “When parity is achieved on the important characteristics of product and price, then factors like the design guides, instructions and the advice given by sales staff can help tip the scales in favor of a brand in the customer’s experience.”

The study also finds that providing customers with advice and education about how to obtain the best results on their painting projects is an important component in satisfying them with regard to interior paint. Average satisfaction scores are considerably higher -- 780 points -- among customers who say they received painting advice at the retailer, compared with an average of 752 among customers who report not receiving advice.

Among those customers who purchased paint at a retail store, 54 percent reported not receiving any advice from the store sales staff.